By NYCLU
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
NEW YORK CITY – Thursday, the New York City Council passed legislation that assigns a task force to study the impact of slavery and its legacy in New York City. The task force is responsible for producing a report within a year that recommends potential legal and policy measures for resulting harms, including reparations. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the following statement attributable to Racial Justice Center Director Lanessa Owens-Chaplin:
“Black New Yorkers still feel the real-life consequences of the enduring stain of slavery here in New York City, from our stark racial wealth gap to our unfair criminal legal system to our highly segregated communities and schools. It is past time for New York City to take a hard look at and reckon with our past in order to build a more promising future where all New Yorkers are afforded the same access to opportunities, grace, and prosperity.”
“With this Task Force, our city will be better equipped to fully understand this legacy and begin to undo its longstanding impacts on Black New Yorkers and provide redress for harm.
“We applaud the City Council for taking this historic step and we look forward to working with the Task Force to move our city towards truth and justice.”
